Esperanza Spalding Quartet

The Esperanza Spalding Quartet plays at Birch North Park Theatre on September 13.

I wanted to hire this kid for a jazz festival in Indiana in the mid ’90s. The committee looked at me like I was nuts. I had just passed around his bio sheet. All they could seem to get from the page was that he was 14. Yeah, so? I thought to myself. Mozart wrote music when he was five.

I told the committee I could get a great rate. Of course, we’d have to fly in his mom, too. The bottom line won on paper, and the audience won that summer in Indiana. The kid grew up, is still growing up, and is still an amazing player and composer. He’s now a two-time Grammy nominee, festival headliner, and jazz-chart topper.

If you’re not hip to Taylor Eigsti, get there. But, this isn’t about him. It’s about…well, I’m not sure. Is it about jazz and a new generation? Is it about this one girl in particular who is waking up a whole new audience to the sound of jazz?

I got the buzz early on Esperanza Spalding’s 2008 release Esperanza because that’s what we jazz-radio people do. Then, I got the disc. Call me shallow, but I love how freakin’ cute this woman is! But…what about the chops? Put the CD in and there they were. Those chops. The bass-line chops. The vocal chops. The songwriting and arranging chops. It’s all there. And it’s all fresh. Even the classics, like “Body and Soul,” beautifully bounced up as “Cuerpo y Alma.”

So, I guess what this is about is simple: If you think jazz is dead, you’re not paying attention. It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s gotta keep jazz in your face.

Comments

i remember when san diego had radio station 92STAR5.
they played much jazz among the r&b n soul tracks.
i didnt think of it as jazz, i thought it was some cool stuff to chill to.
this was back in the late 70s early 80s.
it was a sweet blend of young n mature music.
that was the the sound track to many a teenage gangbanger back then.
remember the KOOL jazz festivals?
they were held at the murph to capacity crowds.
since the demise of independent black radio or any color independent
.
we have the same crap on every station.
i cant say that about jazz 88 since i havnt really listend to them.
but i do know that the jazz on 92star5 was hip , groovy n soulful. unlike the sterile white so called san diego stlye jazz on 98.1
thank GOD for satallite radio.

That's Spanish, Josh (she also speaks some Portugese, I wasn't aware she spoke French but I'm not surprised). She was raised by a Cuban nanny. And her mother is part hispanic. And I agree, she's very good.

They are both amazing bassists and both are capable of crossing over multiple music genres. Jazz, rock, Latin, and so on. East is probably my favorite bassist. There is no doubt that he knows of her and no doubt that she was inspired by him. If you listen to her style and his, there is much similarity at times.

And both excel on the electric stand-up. Their connection might be Sergio Mendez. I'd link it but I haven't come up with anything, other than East collaborating with him and Spalding being influenced by his sound.

AG: I am. Six (or twelve) string guitar is one instrument that never came easy for me, my stubby fingers, short and not adept at such intricate shenanigans have much respect for those who have successfully conquered the cat gut.

McKee's unorthodox style is probably the only way I could ever learn the guitar, and, you know, who teaches THAT?

"AG: I am. Six (or twelve) string guitar is one instrument that never came easy for me, my stubby fingers, short and not adept at such intricate shenanigans have much respect for those who have successfully conquered the cat gut."

Aw, stubby little pickle-fingers won't let you play, huh? Um, then how do you explain THIS guy? (Perhaps you've heard of him.) :)